Idaho State University

• State: Idaho
• State School (public)
• School Website
• Map Link

Donald Colby, bass faculty

• Email Donald
• Donald’s Website

General Statistics

• In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $6,784
• Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $20,182
• Room & Board 2016-17: $6,338
• Total Enrollment: 15,553

Double Bass Statistics

• Average number of undergraduate bass students: 3
• Average number of graduate bass students: 1
• Studio Class, Orchestral Repertoire Class, Bass Ensembles, Lower Strings Ensembles

What Alumni Are Doing

• Most recent grad student has gone on to Colorado State for advanced degree

Perspectives from the Bass Faculty

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences teaching at your school?

A: Converting a flautist to a bassist. She just performed the Koussevitzky Concerto.

Our students teach incoming students as well as local high school students. We learn from the each other.

About The Bass Faculty

Donald Colby is the Adjunct Instructor of Double Bass at Idaho State University and the Principal Bassist with the Idaho State Civic Symphony (ISCS). Donald began his music career at the age of five, studying piano with Ms. Cleo Messner. He began his Double Bass studies at the age of ten and has studied with Dr. Hiram Pearcy, Professor Edward Krolic at the University of Illinois and at Northwestern University with the Chicago Symphony Assistant Principle Bassist Warren Benfield. Donald was previously the Adjunct Professor of Double Bass at the University of Texas at El Paso.

His playing career spans both classical and jazz. He has served as Principle Bassist with the Symphonia De Camera, the Lafayette Symphony, the Danville Community Symphony, and the Champaign Urbana Symphony, as well as performing with the Indianapolis Symphony. Donald has been a jazz bassist since his army days. In addition to performing with his own trio he has played with Dave Brubeck, Edie Arnold, Herb Albert, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Clark and the late Bennie Goodman. In addition to his teaching and performing activities Donald is a member of the Board of Directors of the ISCS.

Donald has more than four decades of teaching experience with the double bass and the piano. Both classical and jazz methods are taught to interested students with emphasis on solo performance and ensemble work. Donald believes that teaching must follow tried and true technique and literature studies, but with an approach that is unique to the students individual characteristics.